Camper&#39;s folding table



H. PUFF.

CAMPERS FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1920 H. PUFF.

CMMERS FOLDING TABLE. APmcmou meu MAY 29, 1920.

1 ,368,452. Patented Feb. I5, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES HENRY PUFF, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CAMPERS FOLDING TABLE.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application led May 29, 1920. Serial No. 385,288.

` To all 'who/m. it my concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY PUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Aneles, in the county of Los Angeles and tate of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Campers Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to loldable tables, and particularly to tables adapted to be folded in compact form and carried on automobiles or in other vehicles for use in campingrout or under like circumstances.

he general object of my invention is to provide a table so constructed that the legs may be folded up within the leaves of the table and the table leaves folded against each other so as to form a carrying case, as it may be termed.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character in which the legs are very strongly and firmly connected to the leaves forming the top of the tahlc and in which the legs are firmly braced in their vertical, operative position when turned at right angles to the table top.

.l further object is to provide simple means for locking the two sections or leaves of the table in alined position when the table 'is in use and bracing the middle of the table against sagging, and in this connection to provide an improved form of hinge for engaging the sections of the table top with each other which will prevent sagging of the table top at the joint between the two sections.

Still another object is to provide a foldable shelf normally carried within the foldable table top, but when in use adapted to be supported by the legs and held from accidental detachment from the legs.

, Other objects will appear in the course of the following descri tion.

My invention is il ustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a table constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof the table folded up Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lower shelf of the table folded up;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentar to 1an view of one end of the table; y p p Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of one end of the table;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the table in its open condition;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view to show the manner of connecting the braces to the cleats;

F ig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of one corner showing the brace engaging the cleat when the leg is open; i

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 2)9 of Fig, 8;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10--10 of Fig. 7

eferring to the drawings, it will be seen that the table top comprises two sections 10 and 11. These leaves or sections have attached to the margins of the under face the end cleats 12 and the side cleats 13 and 14. Thus each leaf is thoroughly braced by the end cleats 12 and the side cleats 13 and 14 so that each leaf is strong. The leaves 1() and 11 are connected to each other b hinges, designated generally l5 and which will be later described, these hinges being located at the ends of the leaves and connecting the leaves to each other so that the leaves may be folded in one direction into parallel relation to each other but will be eld in the same plane when the outer faces of the cleats 13 confront each other.

Attached to each end cleat 12 of each section 1() or 11 is a bracket 16 having outwardly projecting ears 17 at its opposite ends. This bracket is made of strap iron and is held to the corresponding cleat by screws or other means. Coacting with each bracket 16 is a leg 18, and passing longitudinally through the ears 17 and through a perforation in the butt end of the leg is a rod 19 screw-threaded at its outer end for the reception of a nut 20 holding the leg in place on the rod and against the adjacent ear 17. The opposite end of the rod 19 from the nut 2O is angularly bent, as at 21, to pass the adjacent ear 17 and then extends inward and toward the free end of the leg 18, and when it reaches the leg is bent, as at 22, parallel to the leg to brace it and then is passed transversely through the leg and is screw-threaded at its extremity for engage- .resilient metal and when ment by a nut 23. Thus the leg is thoroughl braced and mounted at the same time or rotative movement on the ears 17.

For the pur ose of holding these legs in position at riglit angles to the plane of the table top formed by the leaves 10 and 11, I attach to each leg a spring brace, designated generally 24. One end of this brace is angularl bent and passed through a perforatlon in th'e leg, as at 25, and carries a nut 26. The op osite end of the spring brace 24 is angular y bent, as at 27, and extends into a slot 28 formed in the inner face of the correspondin cleat 13, this slot extending longitudinelly of the cleat but at a sli ht inclination thereto, as shown clearly in ig. 7, and the slot at that end which is nearest to the inner face of the cleat l2 is angularly directed, as at 31. The brace 24 is, as before stated, of the leg is folded against the face of the leaf it is disposed in the slot 28 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7, but as the leg is turned into angular relation to the plane of the table leaf, the angular terminal 27a of the bent end 27 travels along the groove 28Il of slot 28 and the free end of the spring brace is gradually forced outward as the leg turns to its depending position until the angular end 27 of the brace reaches the portion 31, when the resilience causes the angular end 27 to spring into the portlon 31, thus locking the leg in its vertical position, that is in a position at right angles to the table top (see Fig. 8) When it is desired to release the brace, the free end of the brace is simply pulled outward from the notch or recess 31 until the terminal portion 27 is again in line with the groove 28, and then the leg may be folded ainst the leaf until the leg lies flat against t e table top. What is true of one of the legs is, of course, true of all of the legs.

For the purpose of supporting a shelf below the table top when the legs are unfolded, I pivotally mount upon two of the legs the cross pieces 32 which, when the legs are folded, lie flat against the upper faces of the legs, but which, when the legs are unfolded, may be turned toextend laterally. The free ends of these cross pieces 32 or supports are slotted or notched, as at 33, to engagewith studs 34 on the opposite pair of legs. These braces, therefore,h brace the legs laterally. The sectional shelf, as illustrated in Fig. 3, consists of two sections 35 and 36 hinged to each other at 37 and the under faces of these sections 35 and 36 being provided at their ends with transverse pairs of cleats 38 and a groove 39 adapted to engage over the braces 32. When the leaves 35 and 36 are folded into parallel relation, they are disposed within one of the sections of the table and thus inclosed within the folded table top.

While I do not wish to be limited to any particular form of hinges for connecting the two sections of the table top to each other, I have illustrated a hinge 15 on the order of a rule joint, this hinge consisting of two leaves a and b, the leaf a havin an olf-set circular lug c and the leaf e having a lug d which is not olf-set but which lits against the offset lu these lugs being connected to each other gy a transverse pintle f. Inasmuch as the lugs c and d extend downward, it is obvious that when the hinge leaves are brought into alinement that the ends of the hinge leaves will abut against each other, thus holding the sections of the table top from being forced downward at their joint and reventing the table top from sagging and oldin it very rigidly and firmly. In order to still further prevent any tendency of the table top to sag at the joint and to still further hold the two sections of the table top in alinement with each other, I preferably form the conjoined cleats or strips 14 with transverse alining slots 40,

and dispose within one of these slots a short supporting bar 41 of metal which is pivoted, as at 42, to one of the cleats 14 and which is provided with a handle or finger piece 43. Thus when the table is in use, this supporting bar 41 is turned at right angles to the length of the cleats 14 so as to extend on opposite sides of the cleats and beneath the joint of the leaves, and on the other hand, when the leaves are folded, this member 41 is turned into alinement with the cleat 14 to which it is pivoted and thus permits the sections to be folded, the finger piece 43 lying close against the inner face of the cleat.

A table constructed in accordance with my invention is very simple and is very compact, can be easily carried upon the running board of an automobile or placed in convenient position in any vehicle. It is very light and is particularly strong. It will be noted that the legs are very strongly braced by the angular bend 22 in the braces formed by the bar 19, and that thus the legs are held from any lateral bending strain. This is particu` larl necessary in camping tables, which are liab e to be sub'ected to rough usage. The resilient braces 4 will prevent the legs from folding down accidentally. The shelf is firmly supported in place and is particularl convenient for holding dishes in convement position for service while the table is being used for eating.

Preferably the sections 10 and 11 will be provided at either side edge with hooks whereby they may be latched together in the position shown in Fig. 2, and with enacting handle straps.

I claim 1. A table having a table top, brackets attached to the under side of the table top and having outwardly projecting ears at their opposite ends, a leg for each bracket a. pair of suppo 4o legs on one side of the table or movement 45 posite pair yof legs 55 said sections `having 5 larly inward towardthe leg, then extended along the leg and against the same and then laterally bent to extend through the leg and be"`attached thereto, and braces pivote to Vthe corresponding legs rand operatively engaging the corres ending leaf and shiftable therealong an locking the leg when the leg is turned to a position at right angles to the lane of the leaf. y

2. In a ta le, a table top having along one mar in thereof and on its .under side a longitu ina-lly extending cleat, said cleat at its junction w-ith the ftable top being formed to provide a longitudinally extendin slot, the slot extending at an an le to the longitudinal axis of the cleat an toward the hinged' end of the le and atits end adjacent the hinged end o Lthe leg having an outwardly extending, offset portion, the wall Aof the slot being formed with an u wardly extending groove opening into sai oft-set ortion,

and a resilient brace pivoted to the eg and at its end beingangularly bent to extend inw said slot and. again angularl bent to extend Yinto said groove, i the resilience of the brace urging its free end outward whereby, when the leg is turned into a. position a right 16S to uw table top uw resiliili.

ence of t racefivill force its free angular end into said off-set portion of the groove L and slot.

-3. A foldable table having four legs operatively hinged to the tablentop and movable into or out of parallel relation thereto, nting members ivoted to the into a position parallel td sadflegs to which they are pivoted or into a position at right angles thereto, the free/.ends ofasaid supporting members bein f notched and the opstuds over which saidnotches engage, and a. shelf en cable with said su porting llnembera sai shelf being formed) 1n provided with spaced'cleats to engage over said supporting members. l, 4. A oldable table comprising two table top sections hinged to each other, each of cleats attached to its under face along t e margins ofthe 'secations, means for locking saidz septions in aliped relation'or permitting the sectiorfs to fold over upon each other, a pair of le hinged to the ends of each section and fo able into position against the inner face of each section 'or into position at right les thereto, a brace for each leg engageable with eing provided with` 1n two.- sections foldable upon each other, the' 50 inner faces of said hinged" sections being the lcorresponding cleat permitting the leg to be shifted into its supporting position or laid at against the inner face of the corresponding section, 'the cleats and braces being formed to automatically lock the braces in engagement with the cleats when the legsY are turned into a position at right angies to the leaves to which they are pivotcd.

5. A foldable table comprising a table top formed in two sections hin ed to each other for movement into a position of alinement or into parallel relation, each of said soctions on its inner face having marginal cleats, brackets attached to the end cleats of each section of the table on the inside faces of the cleats, each bracket having two spaced ears, a rod passing through said ears, a leg carried by `said rod and bearing against one of said ears, the opposite end of the rod being bent to form a brace and engaged at its end with the leg, the cleats being formed with lo itudinally extending slots hayingutwarldi'y extending notches or off-sets "at their` ends, and resilient braces for each leg pivotally attached there# to andat its free end bein angularly bent to engage in said slot, t e resilience of the `braces urging their free ends outward whereby, when the legs are brou ht into position at right angles to the ta le top, the angular lends of the braces will spring into said off-eetl portions of the slot, two supporting members pivoted totwo 0f the legs and having notches at their free ends, the other two legs being provided with studs with which the notches are adapted to engage, and a foldable shelf formed in two sections hinged to each other, the sections on the inside Yfaces being provided with transversely extending, spaced cleats adapted to engage over said su porting members, the sectibns when folded) being adapted to be disposed in the space defined by the cleats `of onefof said sections of the table top.

`6. table including a table to legs hinged to the under side of the ta le top for movement into or out of parallel relation thereto, braces holding the legs at right angles to the table top, supportin members pivotally connected-to two of sai legs and foldable into o1' out of parallel relation thereto, the endsof said supporting members being notched, studs projecting from the other two legs with which the notched ends of the sup rting members engage, and a foldable, she f formed in two sections hin d to each other and adapted to engage wit, said su porting members, said sections of the Shel when folded, fitting into the table top sections whexthe latter are closed.

Intestimonyjwhereof I hereunto aiiix lmy si atu L -gli mi HENRYPUFF. 

